Ore separator



Sept. 25, 1928.

' E. H. STEPP ORE SEPARATOR Filed Nov; 22, 1926 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\Ns x Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDDIE H. STEPP, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE.

bRE SEPAEATOR.

Application filed November 22, 1926. Serial 'No. 150,069.

The invention relates to ore separators.

The obj set of the invention is to provide an ore separator which willeffectively separate the valuable mineral, such as flour gold, from theentering concentrate mass.

The invention will first be described and specifically pointed out inthe claims.

This object I accomplish by the construction shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in

which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the separator with the casingbroken away:

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar view on line 4t1 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 2.

The base 1, of the machine, is a box-like structure provided in itsbottom with a step bearing 2 and having on its top a collar or extensioncontaining a two part bearing collar 8 extending down through an openingin the top of the case 1 having supporting flanges 9, 9 and securingbolts 9, 9. The. upper edge of the collar 8, at its four corners, isprovided with lugs or ears 10, between which is bolted the lower end ofthe separator bowl 11; said through which and the lugs or cars 10 arepassed the horizontal securing bolts 13 as shown in Fig. 4.

The bowl 11, is elliptical in shape and formed in two separable sectionshaving vertically disposed flanges 14, secured in close contact by thehand bolts 15.

The upper contracted closed end of the bowl has a central aperturethrough which depends the downwardly projecting end 16 of the pipe 17which supplies the bowl with the water and mineral bearing concentrate.The inner walls of the two part bowl 11 are provided with ring-likeplates or troughs 18, which are also in sections corresponding to thebowl sections. These plates or troughs 18 lie in parallel horizontalplanes and contain amalgam 19, which is held stationary thereon.

A vertical cylinder 20, open at its upper end, is mounted within thebowl 11 and has a depending vertical shaft 21 extending down through thelower open end of the bowl 11 and through the bearing 8, with its lowerend stepped in the bearing 2. The bottom of this lower end havingattaching lugs or ears 12' cylinder also carries amalgam. The shaftprovided with helical ribs or vanes 24 and its exterior is also providedwith similar helical ribs or vanes 25. The shaft 21 is provided belowthe bearing 8 with a stop collar 26 held by a set screw 27. At oppositesides of the bearing 8, the top of the base 1 is provided with outletopenings 27, see Fig. 5, and below these openings is placed an ofltakechute or spout 28 to carry the waste material away. This outlet chute orspout 28 is also coated with amalgam to save the last particles of thevaluable mineral content of the concentrate.

The operation is as follows: the depending pipe 16, delivers the waterand concentrate down close to the bottom of the centrifugal cylinder,which is rotated by any suitable means, at a highspeed. The helical ribs24 on the interior of the cylinder 20 cause the liquid concentrate to becarried up and over the upper edge thereof where the down flow will beinterrupted by the outer helical ribs 25. The centrifugal action willcause these ribs 25 to throw the whirling body of concentrate lyingbetween the cylinder 20 and the inner wallof the bowl 11 outwardly intocontact with the stationary bodies of amalgam 19 to which the gold orother metal to be separated will adhere. Furthermore the fin or rib 25on the exterior of the cylinder operates on the material overflowingeach trough except the lowest, to project the material against the bowlwall over succeeding troughs. This action will be kept up as long asthere is any mineral to be saved; the centrifugal action and ribs 25acting to prevent inflow through pipe 16 and holding the whirling waterand concentrate against rimning out through the outlet. That is to say,when the cylinder 20 is rotated at a sufficiently high speed, itsexternal helical rib 25 will check the flow from the intake pipe 16 andlittle or none will escape through the outlet 27 and this may be kept uplong enough for every particle of the gold or material to be saved to bethrown against the amalgam and be saved. This is especially desirable inrecovering fiour gold which floats off in the water of ordinary rifl'leswhere more agitation does no good.

Variouschanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof my 111- v vention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A centrifugal ore separator, comprising a bowl having an amalgamretaining trough on its inner wall, and an inner rotary member providedwith means on its exterior for lifting; the body of concentrate andwater to retard the downl'low thereof andsimultaneously throwing itoutwardly to bring the valuable'heavier mineral content into contactwiththe said amalgam surface.

'2; A centr fugal ore separator, comprising a bowl having an amalgamretaining trough "on its inner wall, an inlet'ior the fluid concentrateat the upper end of the bowl and an ,outlet for the waste at the lowerend thereof and an inner rotary member mounted concentrically Within thebowl, means on the exterlbr of said rotary member for simultaneouslyexerting a hitting 'lorce to retard the 'downfl'ow and an outwardlyacting centrifuan intake pipe extending down into said cylinder, andmeans for rotating said centrifual cylinder at a high speed to hold upthe 0' body of Water in. the outer bowland concentrate and throw thematerial to be recovered outwardly againstthe amalgam.

4. The combihation with an outer bowl provided on its inner wall with aseries of amalgamating plates or troughs, and a rotating cylinderopen'at its upper end to receive the water and concentrate and providedon its inner and outer sides with helical fins or ribs, whereby byrotating the cylinder at centrifugal force isset up by the outer fin orrib to overcome the gravitational force of the water and concentratescarrying the mineral particles to be recovered an'dto throw said par-vticlesoutwardly into contact with the 'amah gem.

5. A centrifugal ore separator comprising a base. a vertically dividedbowl removably semi-ed at its lower end to the top of the base andhaving an outlet leading from the lower end of the bowl and amalgamretaining means on its interior,- a vertical cylinder within the bowl,open at the upper end and having;- a shaft depending from its lower endan d mounted in bearings on the base, said cylinder having'helieal ribsor fins on its inner and outer sides, an intake or supply pipe for thewater and concentrate extending down through the topof the bowl into thesaid cylinder. I i

In testimony whereof, I affix mysignature.

EDDIE H: STEPP.

